Metal casting moulds



June 11, "1963 F. BAUER METAL CASTING MOULDS v 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March '7, 1961 June 11, 1963 F. BAUER 3,092,879

METAL CASTING MOULDS Filed March 7, 196 1 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 74 L14 7 19 5 26 fl 9 I 21 Q 9 7 8 I 25 15 15 Q I June 11, 1963 F. BAUER 3,092,879

METAL CASTING MOULDS Filed March 7, 1961 5 Sheets$heet 3 FIG.3

F. BAUER METAL CASTING MOULDS June 11, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 7, 1961 June 11, 1963 F. BAUER METAL. CASTING MOULDS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 7, 1961 FIG.6

United States ate 3,092,879 METAL CASTING MOULDS Ferdinand Bauer, Tamworth, England, assignor to Foseco International Limited, Birmingham, England, a company of Great Britain Filed Mar. 7, 1961, Ser. No. 94,076 Claims priority, application Great Britain Mar. 11, 1960 6 Claims. (Cl. 22-31) This invention concerns improvements in or relating to moulds for the production of castings and ingots of molten metal and more particularly relates to the preparation or setting-up of such moulds prior to the casting operation.

When molten metal is cast in a mould the surface of the metal tends to cool first. Premature solidification of the surface metal however may prevent a natural flow of metal to accommodate the shrinkage of the metal, so that imperfections may appear in the cast metal. To avoid this it is the practice to provide a so-called hot top to the mould. This is normally an extension to the upper part of the mould which is provided with means for preventing premature solidification of the metal in the hot top. A free flow of metal downwards is thus made possible and a casting or ingot substantially free from imperfections, and more particularly cracks and fissures, may result.

In order to prevent the premature solidification referred to, it is common to provide a lining to the head of the mould (or to a hot top unit superimposed on the mould) which will have the effect of preventing or reversing flow of heat away from the molten metal. Thus the lining may be of a heat-insulating refractory material. However a method which has secured widespread approval and extensive use is to provide as a lining in the hot top a layer of a composition which is ignited by the molten metal and the constituents of which react exothermically to provide heat for holding the metal in the molten condition for as long as the particular circumstances require. Such an exothermic composition may contain aluminium, a quantity of oxidising agent stoichiometrically insufficient to oxidise completely all the aluminium present and a small proportion of a fluoride, e.g. an alkali metal or calcium fluoride, aluminium fluoride, silicofluon'de or boro fluoride. Compositions of use in this connection are described in British Patents Nos. 627,678, 769,719, 774,490, 774,491, and 812,583.

Whether the lining is formed of heat-insulating refractory material or exothermic material or consists of layers of both, it is convenient in practice to prefabricate the lining in slabs and to wedge the slabs into position to constitute a complete lining, the slabs being placed in position through the open upper end of the mould or hot top (which open end is hereinafter generally referred to as the mou of the mould). When the mould is large the slabs may be of substantial dimensions and weight and there is considerable difficulty in holding them in position while they are fixed by wedging them.

Various methods have been proposed to overcome this difiiculty, for example the provision of rods passing through loops on the slabs, the rods lying across the mouth of the mould so that the slabs are suspended. In another method the slabs are supported in the mould mouth by a plurality of brackets which are arranged at spaced positions around the latter and each of which comprises a fiat plate lying closely adjacent the inner surface of the mould mouth and having, at its lower end, an inwardly extending flange on which the lower edge of the. slab rests and, at its upper end, an outwardly extending flange which rests on the lip of the mould mouth to suspend the bracket within the latter. Wedges are It may be noted however that the cost of hanger straps or brackets of the type just described is substantial and is frequently out of proportion to the cost of the slabs themselves.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a new method and means for mounting lining slabs in a mould mouth.

According to one aspect of this invention, there is provided a method of mounting a liner made up of slabs in a mould mouth such method comprising supporting the slabs in position in the mould mouth so as to contact closely the inner surface thereof on supports which are pivotally connected to a member located within the mould mouth, fixing the slabs in such position and thereafter removing the said member, with the said supports pivoted inwardly away from the slabs, out of the mould through the mouth thereof.

It will be appreciated that, using the method according to this invention, the liner is, in use of the mould, held in position without the use of support brackets.

According to a further aspect of this invention, there is provided a jig for supporting the slabs of a sectional liner in a mould mouth prior to the wedging of the slabs in the latter, such jig comprising a central support member adapted to extend axially downwardly into the mould mouth, a member movable relatively to the central sup port member, a plurality of supports for a slab or slabs spaced outwardly from, and arranged at suitably spaced positions around, the central support member, and a linkage coupling each support to the central support member and to the member movable relatively thereto, the arrangement being such that the two members may be held relatively to one another in a position in which the said linkages maintain the supports in the correct posi tions for supporting the slabs and thereafter one mem ber may be moved relatively to the other member to cause collapsing movement of the linkages to move the supports inwardly towards the central support member so that, after wedging of the slabs, the jig may be col-. lapsed and removed through the mould mouth.

To support the jig whilst this is in position in the mold mouth and during the wedging of the liner sections, the jig advantageously includes a cross beam extending transversely of the central support member and carried at its ends by legs adapted to rest on the lip of the mould mouth. Conveniently, the said cross beam is adjustable vertically on the legs so as to vary the distance of this cross beam above the mould, and thus the extent to which the central support member extends into the mould mouth.

Preferably, each support is carried at the outer end of an arm, the inner end of which is pivoted to the central support member or the member movable relatively thereto, and a link is pivoted to such arm between its ends and to the other of the two members.

Where the support-carrying arms are pivotally mounted on the member movable relatively to the central support member, the said member may be the said cross beam and the central support member may be mounted on the cross beam for movement vertically relatively to the latter.

In the preferred construction of jig according to this invention, however, the support-carrying arms are pivotally mounted on the central support member and the said links are coupled to a member movable relatively to the central support member. Advantageously, according to a further feature of this invention, the said central support member comprises a shaft to the lower end of which the support carrying arms are pivoted and the member movable relatively to the central support member is a sleeve or bush slidably mounted on the said shaft, the arms being coupled to this sleeve or bush by the said links so that movement of such sleeve or bush axially along the shaft causes pivoting of the arms about their pivots at the lower end of the shaft. 7

To hold the sleeve or bush fixed relatively to the shaft in the position in which the supports carried by the arms are in their slab-supporting positions, any suitable releasable locking means may be used. In a preferred construction, the sleeve or bush carries an abutment which normally engages an element fixed relatively to the shaft, but which is manually movable out of engagementwith the abutment to free the sleeve or bush for movement along the shaft.

Preferably, the number of the supports of the jig, andthe arrangement of these supports, is such that, in use of the jig, a support is located below each junction of slabs. Thus, where the mould mouth is of substantially square cross-section, as is frequently the case, and four liner sections are provided, one to line each side of the square, the jig will have four supports and the arms will be arranged at positions around the central support memher or shaft at an angular spacing of 90.

In order that invention may more readily be understood and further features appreciated, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of jig according to the invention, the jig being shown in position supporting liner slabs a mould mouth, part of which is broken away, whilstsuch slabs are being wedged therewithin;

, FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the jig of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 1, but showing the jig in a collapsed condition for removal from the mould mouth after wedging of the liner slabs therein;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating second embodiment of jig according to this invention, this being a modification of the embodiment of FIGURES 1 to 3; and

FIGURES 5 and 6 are perspective views similar to FIG- URE 1 illustrating and fourth embodiments of jig according to the invention.

'lhe jigs illustrated in the drawings are designed for use in supporting within a substantially square cross-sectioned mouth 1 of a mould 2 a sectional liner comprising four slabs 3 whilst the latter are fixed in position, one lining each side of the inner surface of the mould month, by wedges 4 forced between the liner slabs 3 and such inner mould mouth surfaces.

The jig illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 3 comprises a central shaft 5 which, when the jig is erected in the position shown in FIGURE 1 for supporting the liner slabs 3, extends vertically downwardly into the mould mouth 1. This shaft 5 is secured at its upper end to a cross beam 6 which is spaced above the mould and is mounted at each end on a leg 7 adapted to rest, as shown, on the lip of the mould mouth. The cross beam 6 is formed by two flat parallel strips '8 arranged in vertical planes and secured together by three cylindrical bushes, namely two outer bushes 9 and a central bush 10, which are located between the strips 8 and to which the latter are welded.

The shaft 5 is secured to the cross beam 6 by passing into and being welded to, the central bush 10, whilst the legs 7, which comprise rods of circular cross-section, fit into the'end bushes 9. The latter have transverse bores therethrough and the legs 7 have a vertically spaced series of cross bores 11 therethrough so that the cross beam 6 can be mounted on the legs 7 in any one of a number of vertically adjusted positions by registering the appropriate cross bore 11 in each leg 7 with the transverse bore in the corresponding end bush 9 and inserting a pin 12 through the registering bores. As shown, the pin 12 may convenienfly have a screw-threaded end to receive a nut, e.g. a

4 wing nut 13, for preventing accidental removal of the pin 12 from the bores in which it is engaged.

Each leg 7 preferably has at its lower end, as shown, a foot 14 extending transversely of the leg to give greater stability to the jig when this is in use.

At its lower end, the shaft 5 has, projecting outwardly therefrom or equiangularly spaced positions around the shaft, four lugs 15 to each of which is pivoted an out- Wardly extending arm 16 having at its end 'a substantially triangular plate 17 forming a support for the slabs. At a position between its ends, each arm 16 has pivoted thereto a link 18 which extends upwardly and inwardly towards the central shaft 5 and which is pivoted at its upper end to a lug 19 projecting outwardly from a sleeve 20 s-lidable on the shaft. The sleeve 20 has welded thereto at each of.

two diametrically opposed positions a thin rod 21 which extends upwardly from the sleeve 20 parallel to the shaft 5,

the two rods carrying at their upper ends a collar 22' which is a sliding fit on the shaft;

Just below the cross beam6 is located a cranked handle 23 which is of a flat plate form located with its plane horia zontal and is pivoted at one end to a post 24 secured to the cross beam adjacent the centre of the length thereof.

The other end of the handle 23 is supported on a bracket 25 secured to the cross beam and at an intermediate position -a tension spring 26 secured to the handle andthe cross beam urges the handle towards the shaft 5.

In use of the jig described above with reference to FIGURES 1 to 3 the sleeve 20 is located in the position on the shaft 5 shown in FIGURE 1 such that the arms 16 extend substantially horizontally outwardly from the shaft and the supports 17 are in horizontal planes at the appropriate distance from the shaft to be adjacent the inner surface of the mould mouth when the lower part of the jig is inserted into the latter. With the sleeve 20 in this position, the collar 22 is positioned just below the cross beam 6 and is held in this location, as shown in FIGURE 1, by the handle 23 on which the collar 22 rests. v

The legs 7 are mounted on the lip of the mould mouth so that each of the plates 17 is located at a cornerof the inner surface of the mould mouth and the cross beam 6 is adjusted in position vertically on the legs 7 until the plates 17 are located at the desired depth in the mould mouth.-

Ihe liner slabs 3 are next inserted into the mould mouth so as to be supported on the plates 17 of the jig, each plate 17 supporting two adjacent slabs at the junction of the latter, and the wedges 4' are then forced between the outer surfaces of the liner slabs and the inner surface of the mouth as shown in FIGURE 1 to secure the liner slabs in position. a

When the liner slabs are secured, the jig is collapsed as I shown in FIGURE 3 by moving the handle 23, against the biasing provided by spring 26, away from the collar 22 so that the assembly of collar 22, rods '21 and sleeve 3 is replaced by a bush 27 which carries the lugs 19 and is slidable on the shaft 5., This bush 27 has a cross bore 28 adapted to register with a hole (not shown) through the shaft when the supports 17 of the jig are in their liner supporting position. To hold the supports in this position, a pin 29 passes through the registering bore 28 and hole in shaft 5. When it is desired to collapse the jig, the

pin 29 is pulled out of the bore 28 and hole in shaft 5.

To facilitate removal of the pin 29 and to prevent its accidental loss, such pin is carried by a chain 30 having its upper end secured tothe cross beam.

In the embodiment of jig illustrated in FIGURES, the

bush 27 of the jig illustrated in FIGURE 4 is replaced by a tube 31 slidable on the shaft and extending along the latter for most of the length thereof, whilst each support 17, instead of being carried by the described arrangement of arm 16 and link 18, is carried on a bracket 32 to which are pivoted two similar links 33, one of which is pivotally mounted on a lug 34 on the lower end of the shaft 5 and the other of which is pivotally mounted on a lug 35 on the lower end of the tube 31. The tube 31 is welded to the bush and the shaft 5 is free to slide therein. It will be appreciated that, with this arrangement, sliding of the shaft 5 within tube 31 causes movement of each support radially of the shaft. The shaft 5 extends upwardly through the centre boss 10 on the cross beam 6 and carries at its upper end a handle 36 by which the shaft may be moved within the tube 31.

To enable this embodiment to be used with a variety of mould mouth widths, the shaft 5 is arranged to be securable relatively to the tube 31 in a number of alternative positions. In FIGURE 5, this is shown as being achieved by having a transverse bore 37 in the tube 31, a series of vertically spaced bores 38 in the shaft 5 and a pin 39 engageable in such bores. If desired the shaft 5 could be provided with a single bore and the tube 31 provided with the series of vertically spaced bores.

The jig illustrated in FIGURE 6 comprises, as before, a central shaft 5', a cross beam 6 supported on adjustable legs 7 and a plurality of supports 17 spaced outwardly of the shaft. In this embodiment, the shaft 5 is slidable in bush 10, each support 17 is carried by an arm 40 which extends upwardly to, and is pivotally mounted on, the cross beam 6 and the arm 40 is coupled at, or adjacent, its lower end to the lower end of the shaft 5 by a link 41 pivotally mounted on a lug 42 at the lower end of the shaft. Downwards sliding of the shaft 5 relatively to the cross beam '6 causes the support carrying arms 40 to pivot about their upper ends and the supports to move downwardly and inwardly towards the shaft.

I claim as my invention:

1. A jig for supporting the sections of a sectional liner in a mould mouth prior to the wedging of the sections in the latter, such jig comprising: a central shaft member; a sleeve member mounted on said shaft member and dimensioned so that free relative longitudinal sliding movement between the two members can occur; a cross beam extending transversely of the shaft and sleeve members and fixedly secured intermediate its ends to one only of these members; legs at each end of the cross beam extending to one side thereof parallel to the said shaft member and having a length less than that of the latter; a plurality of liner supports spaced outwardly from, and arranged at spaced positions around, the said shaft member to that side of the cross beam to which the said legs extend; and a linkage coupling each support to the said shaft member and to the said sleeve member and acting, on relative movement occurring between these two members by movement relatively to the said cross beam in a direction to that side of the cross beam to which the said legs extend of that one of said shaft and sleeve members not connected thereto, to move the supports from a liner supporting position in which said liner supports are widely spaced from the shaft member to a collapsed position in which the supports are retracted towards the shaft member.

2. The jig specified in claim 1 in which each of said legs has a series of cross-bores arranged in a row extending longitudinally of the leg, each of said cross-bores being selectively registrable with a bore in the cross beam, and the jig includes a pin extending through the latter bore and the leg bore registered therewith.

3, A jig for supporting the sections of a sectional liner in a mould mouth prior to the wedging of the sections in the latter, such jig comprising: a cross beam adapted, in use of the jig, to extend across the top of the mould mouth and to be supported on the lip thereof; a shaft secured at one end to the cross beam and extending transversely thereof so as, in use of the jig, to project downwardly into the mould mouth; bush means mounted slidable longitudinally on the said shaft; a plurality of arms, each pivoted at one end to the end of said shaft remote from said cross-beam, the said arms being arranged at spaced positions round the central shaft and having free ends spaced outwardly therefrom; a plurality of flat plate supports carried one at the free end of each of said arms and each having a liner supporting surface; a plurality of links arranged at spaced positions around the central shaft corresponding to the positions of said arms, each link being pivoted at one end to the said bush means slidable on the shaft and at the other end to the arm at such position and intermediate the ends of the arm; and readily releasable locking means for holding the bush means in one position on the shaft, the length of the said links and the orientation of the said supports on said arms being such that, in said one position of the bush means, the said arms make an angle with the shaft not less than and the said support surfaces of the supports are substantially perpen dicular to the shaft.

4. The jig specified in claim 3, in which said locking means comprises a pin insertable through a hole in the bush means and a registering bore in the shaft.

5. The jig specified in claim 3 and including a collar slidable on said shaft to the side of said bush means nearer the said cross-beam and means connecting the said collar to said bush means for movement therewith and so that the collar is spaced from the bush means a distance such that, when the said bush means is in said one position, the said collar is adjacent said cross-beam, in which said locking means comprises a handle pivoted to the crossbeam and trained to a position in which the handle engages the collar on the side thereof remote from said cross beam.

'6. The jig specified in claim 3 and including legs at each end of the cross-beam extending therefrom in the same direction as the said shaft and parallel thereto, each of said legs having a series of cross-bores arranged in a row extending longitudinally of the leg, each of said cross-bores being selectively registrable with a bore in the cross-beam, and two pins, one extending through each of said bores in the cross-beam and the leg bore registered therewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Mazarakis Sept. 20, 1960 Marburg Feb. 27, 196-2 

1. A JIG FOR SUPPORTING THE SECTIONS OF A SECTIONAL LINER IN A MOULD MOUTH PRIOR TO THE WEDGING OF THE SECTIONS IN THE LATTER, SUCH JIG COMPRISING: A CENTRAL SHAFT MEMBER; A SLEEVE MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT MEMBER AND DIMENSIONED SO THAT FREE RELATIVE LONGITUDINAL SLIDING MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO MEMBERS CAN OCCUR; A CROSS BEAM EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE SHAFT AND SLEEVE MEMBERS AND FIXEDLY SECURED INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS TO ONE ONLY OF THESE MEMBERS; LEGS AT EACH OF THE CROSS BEAM EXTENDING TO ONE SIDE THEREOF PARALLEL TO THE SAID SHAFT MEMBER AND HAVING A LENGTH LESS THAN THAT OF THE LATTER; A PLURALITY OF LINER SUPPORTS SPACED OUTWARDLY FROM, AND ARRANGED AT SPACED POSITIONS AROUND, THE SAID SHAFT MEMBERS TO THAT SIDE OF THE CROSS BEAM TO WHICH THE SAID LEGS EXTEND; AND A LINKAGE COUPLING EACH SUPPORT TO THE SAID SHAFT MEMBER AND TO THE SAID SLEEVE MEMBER AND ACTING, ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT OCCURING BETWEEN THESE TWO MEMBERS BY MOVEMENT RELATIVELY TO THE SAID CROSS BEAM IN A DIRECTION TO THAT SIDE OF THE CROSS BEAM TO WHICH THE SAID LEGS EXTEND TO THAT ONE OF SAID SHAFT AND SLEEVE MEMBERS NOT CONNECTED THERETO, TO MOVE THE SUPPORTS FROM A LINER SUPPORTING POSITION IN WHICH SAID LINER SUPPORTS ARE WIDELY SPACED FROM THE SHAFT MEMBER TO A COLLAPSED POSITION IN WHICH THE SUPPORTS ARE RETRACTED TOWARDS THE SHAFT MEMBER. 